Papier mache shoe heel construction



A ril 21 1970 c@ "r. OLENSKA 3,507,058 f PAPIER MACHE snoE 1mm. CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 18, 1968 INVENTOR CHRYSTA T; OLENS'KA A'TT-ORNEYS United States Patent 3,507,058 PAPIER MACHE SHOE HEEL CONSTRUCTION Chrystya T. Olenska, Jamaica, NY. I. Miller Inc.,

450 5th Ave., New York, NY. 10018 Filed Jan. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 698,953 Int. Cl. A43b 21/02 U.S. CI. 36-34 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention is directed to improved, light weight shoe heel construction having increased cushioning ability and favorable strength to weight ratios in comparison with conventional wooden and plastic heels. More particularly, the new shoe heels are formed by machining molded blocks of a special papier mache composition comprised predominantly of shredded uncoated and unsized tissue paper of the type commonly characterized as toilet paper.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Molded shoe heels (as distinguished from machined heels) have been manufactured heretofore by scores of processes and from a plethora of compounds, including, among other prime constituents, wood pulp, comminuted wood, sawdust, wood flour, and many types of animal and vegetable fibers. The majority of the heels presently being manufactured are made by machining from wood blocks or from plastics such as vinyl by molding processes.

Commercially acceptable shoe heels possess good physical Wear properties including reasonable strength, durability (as measured in terms of impact resistance), resilience (cushioning ability) and water repellency. That is to say, a shoe heel must be able to withstand the repeated high impacts to which it will be subjected during ordinary walking of the wearer; it must be able to retain its strength and integrity when worn in wet environments; and it must provide comfort to the wearer by cushioning the impact of each footfall. Moreover, for commercial acceptance, a shoe heel should provide all of the aforementioned properties as economically possible.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION A primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an especially economical shoe heel construction having highly acceptable wear properties. In accordance with the principles of the invention, new and improved heels satisfying these criteria may be produced by turning or otherwise machining pre-formed molded blocks of a special papier mache composition.

The molded papier mache blocks, themselves, are formed from an aqueous mixture of wheat flour which has been combined with shredded common toilet paper into a mass having a dough-like consistency. The mass is molded into individual blocks which are then thoroughly dried before being machined into desired heel shapes. The machined shapes are then coated with a film of suitable sizing agent such as an impermeable cement. To finish the heel, a fabric, leather or plastic film, may be adhered thereto, most advantageously by the cementsealant, or it may be painted or otherwise provided with decorative outer coating.

For a more complete understanding of the invention and its attendant advantages, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

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DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodimet (5f the new and improved shoe heel of the present invenion;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the heel of FIG. 1, taken generally along line 22 thereof;

FIG. 3 is an alternate embodiment of a heel body of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Referring now to the drawing, the new and improved shoe heel construction 10 of the invention includes a core member or heel body 11 fabricated from a special papier mache composition which is relatively inexpensive in comparison with the more conventional wood and vinyl plastic materials commonly employed for the same purposes, a sealant 12, and a decorative finish 13 which may be in the nature of an adhered sheet material or a coating.

Specifically, the heel bodies 11 are fabricated from preformed blocks of solidified papier mache. The blocks themselves are manufactured from a dough-like mixture comprising, by weight, one part of wheat paste, and two parts shredded, unsized and uncoated tissue paper, i.e., irregular toilet paper fragments not exceeding an inch in length. Advantageously, the Wheat paste may be prepared by mixing 10 pints of Water per pound of wheat flour. When thoroughly dried, the blocks, which have a density of approximately .345 gram per cubic centimeter, are converted into conventional heel shapes having Well defined, sharp edges (FIGS. 1 and 2) by machining operations performed on standard heel turning lathes.

The new and improved heel bodies 11 are then coated with a Sizing agent 12. Advantageously, a waterproof plastic coating or a Waterproof cement including methyl ethyl ketone, toluene, and a petroleum distillate (e.g., Contact cement) will be ideal for this purpose to impart the requisite waterproofness and water repellency thereto. In accordance with one specific aspect of the invention, the sizing agent 12 is selected for its adhesive properties as well as for its sizing properties and while it is wet or tacky, a sheet material such as fabric, leather, or plastic film is adhered to the core by the sizing agent. Alternatively, when necessary or desirable, a decorative coating such as an acrylic paint, a lacquer, or a varnish or the like, may be employed in lieu of the sheet material 13. In the latter case, the sizing agent 12 is permitted to set before the decorative coating is applied by brushing, spraying, or dipping techniques.

The new papier mache heel constructions have excellent nail retaining and holding characteristics, and conventional toplifts 15 of rubber, leather, or the like may be readily fastened thereto by nails 16 during shoemaking.

It should be appreciated that the resultant new and improved heel of the invention is especially resilient and provides more comfort than comparable wooden or vinyl heels. Moreover, the new heels are of lighter weight and less expensive than more conventional heels employing wooden or vinyl cores. Additionally, the method of the invention provides inexpensive heel cores having well defined edges, which contribute to the coverability of the heel cores by fabrics, leather, and the like.

The new and improved heels having machined, papier mache bodies rovide a lighter weight and more comfortable shoe construction than those fabricated from wood or vinyl. By way of example, test results comparing heel bodies (similarly dimensioned and shaped) of vinyl,

wood, and the new papier mache composition are re- I claim:

produced hereinbelow: 1. A lightweight, high strength, and resilient heel construction comprising Test 32 Wood Vinyl (aziegsfigel body of dried papier mache having a low Weight (grams) Per Pair (b) said heel body having predetermined well de- Water repellency (percent water absorbed),30min. exposure, fined contours including at least one substantially 02 3. 03 0. 02 avg 2 1 sharp edge;

DURABILITY TESTS (WITH TOPLIFI ATTACHED) Papier Mache Wood Vinyl Compression (spread) 0%Excellent 0%Excel1ent 0%Excellent resistance, Mears Heel appearance. No appearance. N0 appearance. No Tester, 10,000 cycles, spreading. spreading. spreading.

120 lbs. pressure. Impact resistance Fair, cracking; Poor, complete Good, no appreciappearance after 30 however, no combreakage. able damage.

itJlbs. impact. plete breakage. Breaking resistance 500 lbs. pressure. 500 lbs. pressure. No breakage at carver press, constant 3,000 lbs. pressure.

pressure lbs. required for heel breakage.

It is to be understood that the papier mache starting (c) said dried papier machine comprising a mixture material of the present invention, characterized herein of sh ed ed tissue paper fragments and binder; as shredded paper and shredded toilet tissue includes Sald US$116 P p fragments r s t One inch in length;

(c) said tissue paper fragments comprise fibers which possess high bulk, high absorbency, high softness, and high strength at low wetness, and

any pieces or fine strips of uncoated and unsized paper manufactured on a tissue paper machine from stock having a head-box consistency of approximately 0.-lO-0.l5%. More specifically, the tissue of waterleaf employed in the practice of the invention is manufactured on tissue from l i gi i g ggg igz i g 512mg agent completely stocks of bleached sulphlte and kraft pulps which have 2 The bed construction of claim in which been slushed with water and defibered in Hydrapulpers. (a) Said binder is Wheat flour Ideally, the pulp used in the manufacture of the tissue The heel construction of cl'aim 1 in which paper is beaten only lightly, if at all, and it is defibered (a) Said Sizing agent includes mefllyl ethyl ketone with little or no increase in wetness. The preferred tissues toluene Petroleum distillate; used 111 the inventlon 13055655 high bulk, absorbency, soft" 5 (b) a covering material of sheet material is adhered to mess, and strength at low wetness. id he l body by aid ement,

While the present invention has been representatively 4 Th h l t tio of l i 1, i hi h described in terms of a specific, preferred embodiment, said heel body has a density of approximately it is to be further understood that certain variations and 0.345 gram per cubic centimeter.

modifications thereof, Within the scope of the inventive principles, will be apparent those skilled in the art. For References Cited example, the heel bodies 11 may be machined to provide UNITED STATES PATENTS irregular or has-relief type surfaces 11' rather than the 237,626 2/1881 Stevens et aL smooth surfaces shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Moreover, the 727,898 5/1903 Campbell.

heel bodies, regardless of surface configuration, may be 1 508,504 9/1924 Brown. decorated by painting, adhering appliques, or otherwise, 1,733,185 10/1929 De Witt.

before being overcoated with a transparent plastic coat- 2,236,354 3/1941 Richter.

ing which seals the heel body and protects applied deco- 2,276,685 3/ 1942 Bright.

ration. FIG. 4 shows a machined papier mache heel body 2,364,744 12/ 1944 Morris- 11 which has been decorated with paint 17 and pro- FOREIGN PATENTS vided with appliques 18 before being finished by an over- 858 099 5/1940 France coating of transparent plastic 19. Accordingly, reference 1873 Great Britain should be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention. ALFRED R. GUEST, Primary Examiner 

